FATHER Patrick McHugh lived a life of joy amidst hardships, suffering and trauma, until his last breath on December 30, 2013.His funeral Mass was held at St Stephen’s Cathedral on January 3.Fr McHugh was ordained to the priesthood at St Stephen’s Cathedral on June 29, 1959, and Archbishop Mark Coleridge received his body into the cathedral once more, this time ... Read More »

By Emilie Ng DOMINICAN priest Father Joseph Wilson thanked God for giving him 60 years of priestly life on December 15. Ahead of the celebrations, Fr Wilson spoke with The Catholic Leader on the meaning of thanksgiving and life as a Dominican. For around 66 years, Fr Wilson has set his heart on following the footsteps and shadows of St ... Read More »

By Paul Dobbyn BURLEIGH Waters parishioners’ dreams of a permanent place of worship have moved closer to reality. This follows preparation of design plans for a new church by Gold Coast firm Peddle Thorp. Parish priest Fr Ken Howell said the proposed church, able to seat 550 with the capacity to take another 100 seats, will provide a “focal point” ... Read More »

A HEARTBREAKING visit to India has left Beenleigh parishioner Betty Graver with a mission to find doctors willing to care for sick Indian children. Ms Graver recently returned from her fifth visit to India with Mamre International, a charity organisation that helps the poorest of the poor in India. Unlike previous trips where she has visited orphaned children, Ms Graver ... Read More »

HANDMADE Rosary beads made by the Universal Rosary Bouquet will soon be distributed to third world countries and primary schools in Queensland thanks to a new merger with Catholic Mission. Brisbane’s Universal Rosary Bouquet co-ordinator Gail Shorthouse recently met with Catholic Mission Brisbane’s director David McGovern to discuss sending Rosary beads to Mongolia, the focus of Catholic Mission’s World Mission ... Read More »

STAFF from Brisbane archdiocesan departments and services took time out last week to farewell long-serving Faith and Life executive director Geoff Gowdie. Vicar general Monsignor Peter Meneely said the gathering at the Francis Rush Centre was a chance to honour Mr Gowdie’s 23 years’ work in the archdiocese. “Geoff has figured prominently in the life of the archdiocese in all ... Read More »

THE Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will turn its attention to the Catholic Church from next week, starting with a Brisbane case study. In a pastoral letter to priests and parishioners Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge said the hearing would look at specific historical case studies that occurred in Catholic Church institutions from the late 1960s to ... Read More »

THE final “piece” in the refurbish-ment of the Blessed Sacrament Prayer Chapel at St Brigid’s Church, Nerang, has been blessed and installed. Nerang parish priest Fr Rafal Rucinski blessed an icon of St Brigid of Ireland during Mass on November 17. He said the icon, along with new security features, completed the refurbishment. The chapel is available 24 hours each ... Read More »

MERCY Sister Angela Mary Doyle’s work at Mater hospitals in Brisbane was the catalyst behind a Gold Coast businessman’s million-dollar donation. Terry Jackman, a former Tourism Queens-land chairman who formed Pacific Cinemas in 1989, presented Mater Foundation with the donation to set up a fund in honour of Sr Angela Mary. Sr Angela Mary was administrator of Mat-er hospitals for ... Read More »

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Winnipeg, Canada, May 24, 2019 / 05:13 pm (CNA).- St. Vladimir died of old age in 1015, but his modern-day statue in Canada met a much more gruesome end. The rector of Sts Volodymyr and Olga Cathedral in Winnipeg said he is “devastated” after a statue of St. Vladimir was found decapitated Tuesday. The head, […]

Vatican City, May 24, 2019 / 04:42 pm (CNA).- In an address at a gathering of 6,000 young Italian soccer fans Friday, Pope Francis encouraged the sports enthusiasts to play sports in order to build friendships and teamwork, as an alternative to surface-level friendships made through technology. “Sport is a great opportunity to learn to […]

Lansing, Mich., May 24, 2019 / 03:26 pm (CNA).- Five men who served in Michigan as Catholic priests have been charged with 21 counts of sex abuse, the state attorney general announced Friday. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said at May 24 press conference, reported by the […]

Newark, N.J., May 24, 2019 / 03:00 pm (CNA).- A Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Newark has instructed a charter school to cover a pro-LGBT mural painted on church property. Fr. Paul Prevosto, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack, instructed administrators at Bergen Arts and Science Charter School to paint over the mural […]

Washington D.C., May 24, 2019 / 01:35 pm (CNA).- A quarter of the Senate signed a letter on Wednesday seeking to keep pro-life and religious freedom protections intact during the drafting of upcoming appropriations bills. The bills will be for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2020, which begins this fall. The letter, sent to Senate Appropriations Chairman […]

Warsaw, Poland, May 24, 2019 / 11:34 am (CNA).- The bishops of Poland are speaking out against sexual abuse, pledging to continue to “eliminate factors conducive to crime” as well as to adopt a more sensitive attitude toward victims than in the past. “We admit that as shepherds of the Church we have not done […]